Marcon International Sells Vessel Noordhoek Singapore

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The 215.4-ft by 46-ft Dutch flagged, multi-purpose construction, dive and ROV support vessel Noordhoek Singapore (ex-Serviceman, ex-Smit Marlin, ex-Smit-Lloyd 61) was sold by Noordhoek Offshore BV of Zierikzee, The Netherlands to Nigerian buyers. Marcon had previously brokered the purchase of the vessel to Noordhoek in 2000.

Originally built in 1977 by Scheepswerf "De Wall" BV of The Netherlands as the Smit-Lloyd 61 for Smit Nederland BV, the vessel is powered by a pair of Bolnes 14VDN150/600 two-stroke diesels producing a total of 4,200BHP to 2.5m diameter CP props in kort nozzles. After purchasing, Noordhoek converted the vessel in 2001 to her current trade as a DP-2 support vessel in the North Sea. Maneuverability was enhanced with a Kongsberg SDP-21 dynamic positioning system, her linked Becker rudders, 260kW tunnel bow thruster, 735kW retractable azimuthing thruster and 260kW aft mounted tunnel thruster. The dive system, complete with an air, mixed gas dive station and TUP dive system, included one 1800 and one 2100 triple lock decompression chamber, a dive control room, two hydraulically operated dive "A"-frames complete with wet bell basket and a third "A" frame for either a tool basket or ROV handling.

Noordhoek Singapore can accommodate 14 crew and 22 passengers in 19 fully air conditioned quarters. Deck gear consisted of a Kenz 25 tonnes telescoping crane, plus she also could be fitted with an optional four-point mooring system and 100 tonnes "A" frame. With all these features and her excellent station-keeping capabilities the Noordhoek Singapore performed a wide range of roles in the offshore industry well.

When the new generation, purpose-built, DP-2 saturation vessels Noordhoek Constructor (249 ft) and Noordhoek Pathfinder (203 ft) joined the fleet, the Noordhoek Singapore became surplus and was put on the market.

The new Owners have renamed the vessel Singapore Explorer and scheduled her to promptly start work in the Nigerian offshore oilfields as platform maintenance and inspection vessel. Singapore Explorer now is 33 years old and only seems to show her age through the design of the vessel. She was in very good condition at the time of the sale and hopefully will serve her new Owners well for many years into the future.